Determined to complete the Teenage Dream's revamp, I set about stripping the old quill stem, fork and other threaded components ready for the local shop to work their magic given my mighty Czech headset press is nowhere to be found. To his credit, Alan at Riverside Cycle Centre very kindly performed the op on a while I waited basis. The early nineties saw a fashion for small scale/bespoke builders offering winter bike/frameset which was basically their race model only with mudguard eyes. The Teenage Dream is a textbook example of this genre with insufficient clearance even with 23mm rubber! While the full length Maple wood fenders look divine, endless fettling couldn't dissuade them from fouling the tyres. Therefore, for time being at least, we are sans guards until some race blades/similar come under my radar at the right price.
However, I'm delighted to report the New fork and Woodman components have transformed the front end, bringing handling bang up to date. New computer battery installed, it was time for some serious riding along memory lanes. I'm about twenty pounds heavier than back in 1991 but if anything I'm faster on the climbs and relatively fearless on the descents. Thundering along the flat, rural roads saw me transported back to the days spent emulating our racing heroes, the strange phenomenon of tractor racing and of course, exchanging personal philosophy, tales of unrequited love and component choice/preference at cola stops.
So as we count down to the New Year, a timely look at said bike's evolution. Gone are the Cinelli bar and quill stem, the Stronglight 80 cranks, FAG bottom bracket, Campagnolo Athena brakeset, twenty year old Vetta wireless computer, New Old Stock Gran Sport levers and Look/SPD pedals and Hutchinson HP20 tyres. Only the Mavic/Campag wheelset, Rolls Saddle, Kalloy Uno post, Campagnolo Victory mechs and Regina six speed block remain. 
So as we count down to the New Year, a timely look at said bike's evolution. Gone are the Cinelli bar and quill stem, the Stronglight 80 cranks, FAG bottom bracket, Campagnolo Athena brakeset, twenty year old Vetta wireless computer, New Old Stock Gran Sport levers and Look/SPD pedals and Hutchinson HP20 tyres. Only the Mavic/Campag wheelset, Rolls Saddle, Kalloy Uno post, Campagnolo Victory mechs and Regina six speed block remain. Today's spec sheet reflects a less arbitrary European stance: Campagnolo Xenon 53/39 crankset, Shimano UN53 bottom bracket, Genetic Look type pedals, Acor Carbon fork, Woodman Saturn headset, 8cm stem, Salsa Bell-Lap bars, Miche dual pivot brake callipers, Cane Creek SC5 aero levers, Dia tech light action down tube shifters, Kenda Konstrictor 700x23 tyres, basic cork wrap and Decathlon ten function wireless computer& Van Nicholas Ti bottle cage complete the line-up.
The only planned developments are mudguards and of course, the Thompson post. However, these are wants as opposed to needs. A second "cold snap" is promised for the next forty eight hours so I think the Univega and I will be starting the year together. 2010 hasn't yet begun and I've already been invited to parts of the globe as diverse as Perth (Australia), Negombo and the Czech republic (No, I'm not going all that way for a headset press!). However, right now, I'm having a wander round the web in search of these, my favorite Cola...
The only planned developments are mudguards and of course, the Thompson post. However, these are wants as opposed to needs. A second "cold snap" is promised for the next forty eight hours so I think the Univega and I will be starting the year together. 2010 hasn't yet begun and I've already been invited to parts of the globe as diverse as Perth (Australia), Negombo and the Czech republic (No, I'm not going all that way for a headset press!). However, right now, I'm having a wander round the web in search of these, my favorite Cola...Happy New Year!
